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Karl Rabeder, Austrian Millionaire Giving Away His Fortune
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by Amy Judd | February 9, 2010 at 02:19 pm
10302 views | 34 Recommendations | 75 comments
Karl Rabeder, an Austrian millionaire, is giving away his entire fortune, almost $5 million US, after coming to the conclusion that all his money was making him unhappy.
He is currently selling off everything he owns, including luxury homes, cars and his collection of six gliders and everything inside his homes so that he will have nothing left.
"My idea is to have nothing left. Absolutely nothing," he told The Daily Telegraph. "Money is counterproductive – it prevents happiness to come."
He then wants to move in to a small wooden hut in the mountians or in Innsbruck and will give all his money to his charities that he set up in Central and Latin America. He will not collect a salary from them either.
"For a long time I believed that more wealth and luxury automatically meant more happiness," he said. "I come from a very poor family where the rules were to work more to achieve more material things, and I applied this for many years," said Mr Rabeder.
However, as he earned more money, he began to get the feeling that he was just working all the time for a lifestyle and goods he didn't need. He thinks a lot of people are just doing the same.
When he went on a five-star holiday with his wife to Hawaii, it was there that he realized that despite spending all that money, they hadn't really met a single real person.
The staff played the role of being friendly and the guests played the role of being important and nobody was real."
So he decided to change his life.
He now says he feels free and lighter and good about the fact that he is listening to his heart.
No word on if his wife will be moving in to this hut with him however.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (75)
at 15:49 on February 9th, 2010
I really feel for Karl Rabeder. He must have spent many hours reflecting on his life and passions for it. It takes a courageous man to be truly honest with oneself. Very few people can do that in a lifetime. I once lived in Austria for many years. I can understand the raw / true beauty of the souroundings and its less than tainted environment. There is a simplicity which stems from home cooking to going for a walk in the woods. To reconnect with that is a deep seated feeling that can only be experienced. People often say its the small things that make a difference. So very true when it comes to gratitude, manners and feeling whole. I know Karl will embace what will truly be a breath taking journey to where his soul lies.
at 10:21 on February 10th, 2010
Happiness is an inside job. One must be happy first before being rich or becoming rich. You must have the wealth conciousness first in order for the wealth to stay with you and at the sametime for you to feel happy .Happiness is a state of conciousness just like poverty.We as human beings move in and out of states in each moment and remain in certain states when it resonate with our thoughts, feelings belief and emotions. I do have the wealth conciousness and all I need now is the wealth.A check sent to me will truly make me happier. Thank you I love you
at 19:03 on February 9th, 2010
Good for him. But I do not think that that happiness can be fund, it is a state of mind.
As for his wife, well, that is between the two of them solely.
at 22:11 on February 9th, 2010
"It will be hard for arich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The New testament Mat. 19: 23...
at 22:25 on February 9th, 2010
Can he give me some money. At least my life will be easier and I will be able to repay by debt
at 01:42 on February 10th, 2010
Really good guy. Today, I was trying to search for more information so as to understand and to learn his point of view. The Lunar New Year comes for our Asian people and we always think of the poor here...
at 03:02 on February 10th, 2010
Its true you dont need all this things that you can buy when you are rich,for me personal is more important the feeling of happines and joy of life ,spending time with familly,true friends and beloving ones then working like crazy for things that you doesnt need,spended time with familly and friends is the real fortune.Poor people in materials and money are not poorer in happines.A happy familly and true friends are more than trillion $.Time spended with the familly and true friends in the nearest nature, is for me more then be alone with a cash loving wife on Hawai.
at 05:20 on February 10th, 2010
NossaKarl Rabeder se você puder me ajudar e doar apenas R$ 10.000,00 (DEZ MIL REIAS) iria me ajudar e ajudar toda a minha familia, não por luxo mais apenas para conseguir-mos viver melhor.
at 07:29 on February 10th, 2010
Hey there ! to the world! ((( please please ))) TAKE THE TIME::, i sure hope Karl Rabeder gets this message ..and before i forget, i do pray for him and his family to truly find HEALTH first in his haert and soul... and then happiness will follow ..I do deeply believe in KARMA and making a mend to oneself FORGIVNESS is the only answere...I am so blessed in health, happiness... an a loving marriage of 30 beautiful years..we have two amazing grand-boys, and three incredible giving young adult kids ..I am a so called giver and heart-fully and soul-fully love to see a smile on the faces of people that i can touch in some unconditional way...My best friend my mom just passed away, not to long ago , and she once said to me ""Charlie""you can't save the whole world,,,BUT you can help save some of the people in it ..I have never asked for anything, i can get or do for myself , I am not well off or.... I would give money to this cause myself ..Any way here i go there is an animal shelter in need of your support. So if you can help , that would be amazing !!!please check out this site http:/humanesocietycaba.com/about.html...this will make you cry.
My name is Maria Antonette Chamney "aka" grama charlie, And a great friend of mine out of Calgary Ont. Canada Takes on these animals from Mexico and fosters then till they get a loving home for life......her name is Anne Mckinty and she is an angel in my eyes and everyone who knows her.Her love and passion is to save these abandon and some of them abbused....(((anne.landis@gmail.com ))) She is an incredible selfless lady trying desperately to help find homes for abused and abandon animals and money is a factor... Karl if you get this message please take the time and donate some of your un-wanted money her way. sincerely... grama charlie 0x :) THANK YOU IN ADVANCED
my email is mchamney27@hotmail.com p.s. if anyone else out there has spare change please take the time and donate to this worthy cause ...
at 07:45 on February 10th, 2010
That is a great effort on his behalf. I hope he gives it to those that are unfortunate in this world. Orphans, sick children and their families and the homeless are my choices. He should find God and pray for wisdom and what is will is to be done. Best Wishes to you and yours!
at 08:53 on February 10th, 2010
IF YOU HAVE ANYMORE TO GIVE AWAY MY SONS SIGNIFICANT OTHER HAS 2 CHILDREN THAT ARE 4 & 5 AND WON'T LIVE TO SEE 10 YRS OLD DUE TO A FATAL, RARE FORM OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPY AND THEY NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET. PLEASE SEND HELP
at 09:09 on February 10th, 2010
Hey Karl, The economy is real bad here in the U.S. Both my wife and I are laid off, we are about to lose our home. We have 3 children to care for, I don't care about being rich, I just want to keep my home so if you could find it in your heart to help us out my e-mail is jzink73985@roadrunner.com. Thank You!
at 10:23 on February 10th, 2010
Hello Karl..great decision, great courage, but if you have some spare change, it would be much appreciated as I was unemployed for 6 months and have been struggling....thanks and so long with your new life
at 10:50 on February 10th, 2010
Hi Mr RABEDERI respect your decision to leave your fortune to some caricatives associations.But i just want to say that; we are a communuty association here in Cameroon and now we are now bulding some We have a project for construction of 4 drilling drinking water and our community project will be viable if we have a subsidy from you to complete this projet.Il is noted that there are 60 percent of the budget, which is that 'we need another 40 percent of the power budget. I hope you will consider us in your donations to associations.I WISH TO YOU A LONG LIFE IN EARTHOur email is : sdjiaa@yahoo.fr
at 11:07 on February 10th, 2010
If Karl wants to still put his money to use, I was laid off last year and would benefit from any amount. Contact me at antonstephen777@gmail.com if you would like to help. C
at 12:59 on February 10th, 2010
In a world where we search for a few thousand U.S. dollars to support us and get a little life, which has often humilim those who do not. They are little human beings who like to help those in need. I never had anything for free but never managed to also join the mlhares dollars I need.
at 13:17 on February 10th, 2010
Dear Karl, I applaud what you are doing. Like many who don't know what "millions" are like, my husband and I like to play the "pretend" game-what we would do if we ever won millions. Although I do like playing our pretend game, I have to be honest and admit, the few times we've played lotto and the numbers weren't the winning numbers-I'd sigh a sigh of relief. It seems to me money (from the lil' I know) gives you every opportunity to do whatever is in your heart and although I would love (who wouldn't) to have security (retirement, life insurance, no worries of doctor bills, etc.) that money brings, I know what is in my heart is not always healthy. Would I lose my husband, walk out on him if we were to win or come into money? If so, I pray "God only give me what I need-even if I beg & plead for more. I have the best husband in the world. He loves me and I know this. He is honest, hard-working...a man of integrity and a man of his word (very few of those in today's living). There is no one who can love me as he does (other than God)." Who knows if you'll read these comments or not. If so-I hope you liked what you read.
at 13:31 on February 10th, 2010
Mr.Rabeder I understand that being Happy is very important but giving all your money away is not going to help you get happiness. But if thats what you want to do, then I wish you all the happiness in the world. I know that you are giving the money to charites but could you make me happy by offering some of your funds to me and my child. That would left alot off me and put a big smile on my face. What ever you do....GOOD LUCK!!!! But I could use what you have.....supertbtmac@gamil.com
at 13:42 on February 10th, 2010
Relax & enjoy life..it is so short & money doesn't buy health & peace. If you are looking for small businesses to help with a loan we can sure use some help. We are two women in business. Renellie Int. Be happy!! Ellie..
at 13:44 on February 10th, 2010
quero o email do Karl Rabeder, preciso pedir 70 mil reais p/ pagar minha casa
at 05:02 on March 17th, 2010
I've a personal club.that helps poor people for sanitation.
at 13:45 on February 10th, 2010
dear karl my name is christine i just want to say good on you i hope you find hapines but i dont know if having no money wil make you happy ive never had money and i try to work hard to get there but since our son was murderd its like we strugle so much but we try hard to work to get there and we arent hapy so i admire you a great deal for wat your doing its nice to have a little money but i dont think a lot would make me happy either i hope you read this god bless you for being you you wil find happyness christina from qld australia
at 13:47 on February 10th, 2010
It's so easy for everyone to say that happiness is a state of mind when they have a boat load of cash in the bank and have no worries... I lost everything last year thanks to my company filing bankruptcy.. my job and my house all gone.. Sure I am back to work but I took a huge cut in pay.. I am your typical blue collar mid income worker and I can't even make ends meet..... so take your state of mind and shove it! Charity? Why so? I am sure that he could have found a gaxzillion typical families in need or even donated it to cancer research where it could make a huge impact... Brian
at 13:58 on February 10th, 2010
Peace! I just came back from Haiti, and I'll know what to do with a lot of money and keep my happiness going. Thanks
at 14:00 on February 10th, 2010
dear karl i hope your happyness comes first i like to see it does money is not everything i know that i have lived life so hard ever since ben was tacken away from us 3 years ago life has falen and thing keep going wrong for us and we lost everything in our house we have tryd to get there but we fall but we do it money is not important hapyness is but thats been tacken away from us to life is short so make the best of it and enjoy and go to the hut in the mountains thats a dream come true if i could i would be there to
at 14:35 on February 10th, 2010
It is a brave and wonderful decision to help out people in need. But I wonder: If a gifted man of such talents who can make millions to do further good, leaves the business world, is it really because he is sick of being rich ... or is it because he is sick of his job? It is quite possible to make millions, give tons to charity but lead a very modest life style. The World would be even better off, if Mr. Rabeder would keep putting his talents to work!
at 14:55 on February 10th, 2010
Dear Gugrun, perhaps he IS putting his talents to work by this bold move to listen to his intuition - that perhaps others would also listen to their own intuition as well.
at 15:07 on February 10th, 2010
hey Mr Brave, I can see you are a Good man and I wish I could be like you , pls I we be great if you can help me out as well, I am a young man of 23 yrs old and I dont have much on me to further more my education pls can you help me out with some little money...
at 15:12 on February 10th, 2010
Everyone has right to do whatever they want with their own money. If the lady from Sexy City would spend 5,000 dollars on a pair of shoes, I would spend 5,000 on vacations, restaurants, cute souvenirs,etc. Who cares? Karl didn't suprise me at all, because I know other people who did the same. Karl is not a homeless even he donated all. I saw homeless people who feel happy to be a homeless because they get food and shelter and don't taxes :)
at 15:17 on February 10th, 2010
Mr. Karl.....I salute you! You are a rare human specie. Most people seems to equate money with happiness and that is NOT always the case. Most people won't admit to this but wealth comes with baggage and insecurity. These same people thinks big money means status and respect with their friends. WRONG thinking! In reality, they just like playing the rich game. Mr. Karl made his money once ....he can do it again....and give it away again too.